


The Prince Trials

by marianhenryk



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, I mean it's kind of a Bachelor AU too I quess, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, There are a lot of ships, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but later, but reddie is endgame, choosing the love of his live, eddie is in for it, prince AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-03 07:57:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19459717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marianhenryk/pseuds/marianhenryk
Summary: “Well, Prince Edward Harold the 4th, here is your future!” she exclaimed, her voice suddenly very serious and resounding. She started taking the flower apart, plucking its petals one by one while chanting silently “He loves you, he loves you not, he loves you, he loves you not....”orAU where Eddie is a prince and he is looking for love in something similar to The Bachelor, except more kingdom like





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I've never in my life seen the Bachelor but you know the drill

The whole kingdom was positively vibrating with nerves at this point. Everyone was in a hurry, talking loudly and excitedly with one another while running some errands and clearing their schedule for the most important event of that decade. Their very prince, Edward Harold the 4th, had just turned eighteen years old and that meant only one thing- The Prince Trials. It was one of the most important and fun traditions in the kingdom of Goya , and it was almost religiously kept. 

The Prince Trials were a variation of The Bachelor really, princes and princesses from all over the world would come to Goya, hoping to be chosen as prince Edward’s future spouse. Each week Edward was supposed to send  one person home and then, after almost two months, there would be only  one man (or woman) standing. It was supposed to be fun, light and breezy, but simultaneously there was a big weight resting on Edward’s shoulders- he had to be wise in his choices, after all, he was choosing a partner to rule his kingdom with. 

The weather was fantastic, the flowers only started to blossom a few days ago, so the scenery was beautifully colorful, and combined with golden and white decorations that the kingdom provided, it looked almost like a place from a fairytale. Especially the palace- it was decorated with multiple types of flowers, garlands, festive paintings and ornaments created by local artists for this very occasion. There was a slight breeze, making the hot day bearable and making beautiful dresses of various loyalties swirl around, bringing a smile to Eddie’s face. He loved the festiveness that his kingdom always delivered to each and every holiday, it was something that was taught in schools even, the tradition alive and well. 

Eddie had woken up early in the morning, even most of his staff were still sleeping soundly in their building, but that was really the whole point. Eddie knew that from that moment, he wouldn’t be getting much alone time or privacy, so he wanted to spend the last morning of his “freedom” alone. He sat down on the balcony, made himself some tea and started reading “To Kill a Mockingbird”, one of his favorite books of all the time. 

Hours flew by him unnoticeably and in the same moment as Beverly, his dearest friend, and stylist came into the room, he closed the book, having finished it with a smile on his face.

“Hello Mister Bachelor, are you ready to break some hearts?” Beverly pushed aside his sheer, white curtains and made herself comfortable next to him. It was their little ritual before any important thing happening- drinking some herbal tea and looking at the sunrise. 

Eddie only chuckled and poured her some brew. 

“It’s going to be a hell of two months, Bev,” Eddie said, making himself more comfortable in his wicker chair. He looked at people running around, rearranging the flowers and moving stuff from one place to another, hoping to make the best impression on their guest.

“Yeah, but maybe you’re  gonna find the love or your life. You know, your parents kind of did just that, maybe the luck is hereditary, who knows?” 

And yeah, Eddie wanted to believe that. He had spent so many hours laying in his bedroom, daydreaming about finding the perfect person to spend his life with- happy and unapologetic, drunk wit h love. His parents hit the jackpot, falling in love after only three weeks and then living happily ever after. He wanted that kind of love, those stares that they shared while eating breakfast, his mother’s giggling when his father was walking around shirtless- the cheesy and cute stuff. But there was a fat chance that he would not get that. There were only six “contestants” to choose from and Eddie was rather pe ssimistic about it. 

“Sure, Bev” Eddie answered smiling fondly at his best friend while reaching for one of the flowers standing in a vase on a small table next to him. He took it out and sighed deeply. “Tell me about my prophecy” he handed her the flower and smiled brightly, trying to lift some of the weight from their shoulders. It really was a hard time for him, and Bev, being the best of friends, was going through it too, always ready to lift Eddie’s spirits up. That’s why he wanted to do the same for her. 

Beverly giggled and took the flower out of her friend’s hands. It was a small daisy. 

“Well, Prince Edward Harold the 4 th , here is your future!” she exclaimed, her voice suddenly very serious and resounding. She started taking the flower apart, plucking its petals one by one while chanting silently “He loves  you, he loves you not, he loves you, he loves you not....”


	2. Go get some ass, my Prince

\------

It was a beautiful time to find yourself in the Kingdom of Goya. All of the flowers were blossoming, and there was a lot of them since the country was well known because of the export of different plants, fruits, and vegetables. Every person living there had some kind of garden- normal ones next to the houses, a few flowerpots on balconies of skyscrapers and blocks of flats, or even just a row of wild flowers growing next to a cottage. You could see all kinds of colors there, smell all of the plants and eat the tastiest fruits in the whole world. It really was a beautiful time for Goya. 

No wonder that it was chosen to be the time of The Prince Trials. It always was such a fun experience, to see all of the royals walking around the capital, laughing and enjoying everything the kingdom had to offer. They were always happy to participate in the festivities- picking apples, yacht races, and The Bake Off, but we’ll talk more about it later. 

Prince Edward was getting ready in his room, four girls helping him pick the best clothes, painting his nails, putting some light makeup on and styling his hair, while giggling and talking excitedly about some of the contestants. Eddie knew some things about them, sure, but the rumors were what was more interesting than some dry facts. 

“I’ve heard there are no girls here this time, is  it true Eddie?” one of them asked. They could all address him by his name, he didn’t like all the titles and businesslike manner. 

“Yeah, I told them I was gayer than Freddie Mercury and they decided to drop the subject of girls, it wouldn’t make any sense,” he explained, making the girl snort in amusement and nod her hair. 

“I mean, we’ve all known that when you covered your eyes every time there were some boobs shown on “The Wolf of Wall Street,” she joked, winking at Eddie knowingly. He only smirked and looked down at his phone.

“You see what I mean.”  Eddie replayed, before busying himself with scrolling through his Instagram feed, watching what all his friends were up to. He had quite a bunch of friends from other countries and most of them were coming to Goya too, so his excitement was reaching its peak. Not only was he going to (maybe) meet the love of his life, but also meet his friends from all over the world. 

After another hour, or so, Katie- the head maid of his, clapped her hands and smiled brightly. It made Eddie look up from his phone and stare at himself in the mirror. 

“Ah, shit girls...” he murmured, clearly happy with the results. His hair was naturally curly, but there was some product in it this time and the curls were more defined and had more volume, making the boy seem even cuter than normally. His cheeks were rosy from the blush that was matching the eyeshadow, making the look monochromatic and gorgeous. His eyelashes were curled, cheeks and the tip of his nose were shining from the highlighter and his brows were carefully combed and styled. He looked like a  million dollar bill and couldn’t stop smiling. He stood up and hugged Katie tightly. 

“Go get some ass, my Prince,” she joked and pushed him towards the wardrobe.  Eddie gasped theatrically and then laughed, disappearing behind big doors. 

After he got dressed, having picked black suit pants, a pink shirt matching his makeup, a black slim tie, and a suit jacket, he made his way towards the Grand Balcony, a place he would be observing all the  arriving guests from. It was beautifully decorated with different kinds of flowers and garlands, making the palace look majestic, yet really fun- the way Eddie liked it. In the middle of the balcony, his mother and father drank coffee, talking loudly and laughing, sometimes stopping to take in the beautiful views of their land, or listen to news from one of the guards standing next to them. Eddie smiled at his parents brightly and waved from afar. 

“Eddie, there you are! You look so pretty, honey!” his mother gushed the moment she saw her little boy. Well, not so little anymore, because he just turned eighteen, thank you very much, but still very small in her eyes. The boy smiled, showing off his teeth and hugged his mother and then his father. 

The  Kaspbrak family had always had really strong connections to one another. It had been going on for decades, the values and traditions passed on from father to son, and from mother to daughter, being taught as the most important things. No wonder Frank and Sonia cultivated it, making their kids see them as their friends, always there to support them and help in case of emergency. Their kingdom was innovative, it was fresh and progressive. That’s why Eddie being gay had never been much of an issue. They had some gay, or bisexual, kings and queens before, so nobody in Goya was surprised when the heir to the throne announced that only boys were to attend  The Prince Trials. 

Eddie was at peace with himself- not only his sexuality but also identity, body, the way he was raised and behaved, not a cell of self-doubt in his body. And that’s thanks to the A parenting he had been given. 

“Finally, the guards told me just a few minutes ago, that they had seen all of the limos making their way towards our palace. Take your place and get ready, son,” Frank said, patting his son’s back reassuringly. He remembered how it had felt, standing in that position, soon to make the most important  decision in his whole life. 

Eddie only nodded, gulping silently and making his way towards the front of the balcony. There were three thrones waiting for the family, two big ones belonging to his parents, and a smaller one for himself. His siblings were out of the country, making big careers abroad and sorting out their lives alone since there was no need for them to stay in Goya- Eddie was the one to inherit the throne. 

The boy took a few calming breaths, fidgeting with a flower placed in the pocket of his jacket, and readying himself mentally for what was about to happen. He was in the middle of an internal speech to himself, when the first limo appeared from behind a wall of trees. He held his breath and straightened in his seat, looking closely at the vehicle. Each from the seven limos was somehow different, representing the country they were coming from. 

The first one was pink, beautifully decorated with hand-painted flowers, mainly roses and tulips in different colors. It belonged to the kingdom of  Orhea , Goya’s biggest competition when it came to selling plants. They were behind just by a few thousand and king Frank always said that it would be good if their businesses merged into  one. Eddie, of course, took it into consideration. 

Closely behind followed a limo made out of black, shiny glass- it belonged to the Kingdom of  Hapendau , the leader in industrial treatment of glass and the production of metallic glass, the one that was more durable than steel. 

Then there was a yellow limo with different kinds of crops painted on its roof, the property of the kingdom of  Kaliana , well known from its baked goods. 

Eddie could see  Qulla’s \- the home of the best painters and artists- colorful vehicle from far, far away, and a plain black one from Boran, the country of technology and progress. He guessed it only seemed to be plain from the outside and was packed with technological novelties on the inside. 

The last, but certainly not the least, was a limo from  Capadi , also black but with flames painted on it, symbolizing them being one of the best countries exporting coal. 

Eddie was positively buzzing with energy, jumping slightly on his seat and ogling every approaching car with great joy, but also focusing on everything he had been taught about those people and the places they were coming from.  His mother was smiling at her little boy, sitting right next to him and holding his hand reassuringly. 

“Do you remember what to say?” she asked quietly, squeezing Eddie’s palm and making him turn his head towards her. He gulped and nodded, mentally preparing himself for the opening speech. It was one of the most important parts of the whole ceremony, he had to welcome everyone and make sure to thank his ancestors for coming up with such excellent idea to unite all the kingdoms. Boring. 

It took about twenty minutes for all the people to step out of their limos and head towards the palace square. Eddie couldn’t see clearly and that frustrated him endlessly- having to wait even longer to get to know, or just see, his possible future spouse. He huffed out a frustrated sigh and stood up, making everyone stop chatting and focus on him. He stepped to the balustrade of the balcony, standing closely to a microphone and cleared his throat. 

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, in the kingdom of Goya,” he said, his voice echoing loudly, sounding powerful and sure of himself- exactly the opposite of how Eddie felt in that very moment. People started clapping and cheering, making Eddie smile to himself. “I couldn't be more pleased with the attendance during my own Prince Trials, thank you sincerely for coming. Let me introduce all the kingdoms that have come to take part in this tradition,” he smiled and started listing all of the countries, patiently waiting for the round of applause after each introduction. He then continued on, thanking the founders of their country for creating the Prince Trials, gushing about unity and friendship between kingdoms, all of that sweet talking. “Now, please, let the servants lead you to your rooms, rest after such long trip and meet us at the Royal Opening Dinner,” he finished up, beaming at the crowd. Everyone made their ways inside the palace, chatting and laughing, feeling at home. It made Eddie incredibly happy, seeing his guests having fun at the very beginning. 

After a few hours, Eddie headed towards the Great Hall, where all of the guests were to eat dinner together. It was also where he would meet all the contestants and he was positively buzzing with excitement. Of course, his anxiety also made itself known, making his palms all sweaty and invasive thoughts appear in his head, but Beverly quickly intervened. She made him down a glass of red wine,  loosing the boy up a little. 

That’s why, when all of the aristocrats took their places at the table, Eddie wasn’t all that stressed. He smiled at everyone, talking a bit with Beverly sitting next to him and ogling everyone at the table. And oh god, did he have people to ogle. 

There was only one boy with dark skin, he was tall and handsome, with a soft face and toned body. His shoulders were wide, making his white dress shirt look even tighter than it already was. The boy introduced himself as Michael Hanlon, the prince of  Kaliana , third in the line to the throne. His smile was contagious and Eddie felt somehow drawn to him. 

Next to him was sitting a small, pale boy with a mop of brown straight hair. He was talking loudly with a blonde next to him, explaining him the difference between an angled brush and a flat brush. He was the prince of  Qulla and his name was William. Eddie talked with him for a while, focusing on the way his eyes seemed to shine with excitement while talking about his art. He was cute and endearing. 

The blonde next to him was Stanley Uris, the very young king of Orhea. His father had passed away a few months prior, making the nineteen-year-old Stanley a king. He seemed to be really stiff and stern, but Eddie noticed a slight smile on his lips while listening to William talk about his interests. He had a beautiful halo of blonde hair, looking like a cherub with his pink cheeks and soft face. Eddie could fall for him at the very moment when they met. 

On the other side of the table sat a slightly chubbier boy with full cheeks and a kind smile constantly plastered onto his face. He ate in silence, looking around the room with interest, in awe of the ceiling that was about 60 feet above them and a grand chandelier hanging off of it. Eddie couldn’t decipher him just yet, the only thing he knew was that his name was Benjamin and he came from the kingdom of Hapendau.

A seat closer sat a tall, lanky boy with a mop of dark curls and a beautiful face. He had sharp cheekbones and jaw line that could cut you, with full cherry-colored lips and eyes that had a hint of mischief in them. It was the prince of Boran, Richard. He was the loudest one at the table, gesturing widely while talking about something and making inappropriate jokes all the time. Eddie didn’t know if it was more infuriating or endearing. 

The last one, sitting right next to Beverly, was William  Denbrough from  Capadi . The first thing he had said to Eddie was “Please, call me Bill, William is my father,” with a stupid, boyish smile on his face and a wink. Eddie only snorted and nodded. He didn’t like fuckboys very much, so he didn’t bother spending much time on him. 

“Did you finish trying to deduce all of the guests, my prince?” Beverly said from next to him, elbowing him right in the stomach. Eddie rolled his eyes and took a few sips of his wine. 

“Miss Marsh, would you kindly fuck off, please?” he answered, making the girl snort and turn to Bill, trying to make a conversation with him. 

Eddie took one last glance at everyone and thought to himself-

Let’s, fucking, go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it! Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are about this story so far :D   
> Also! Find me on Tumblr (it's richieshawaiianshirts)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it! Tell me in the comments what you think and if you're interested already!


End file.
